The Star Section: Lifestyle Ad Value: RM 35,328 31-Aug-2021 Size : 702cm2 PR Value: RM 105,986 A union of greats WORLDS OF WONDER A union of greats By ANDREW A. SMITH SAL Buscema. Ron Frenz. Roger TV-turned-comics writer Darin Henry talks about founding new Stem. If youVe read American comic books for any length of time, comics publisher Binge Books and working with legends like these aren't just Eamiliar names. Sal Buscema, Ron Frenz and Roger Stern. ltiey*re comic book gods. And their work - usually on Marvel titles like Amazing Spider-Manr Avengers and Thor - was always welcome to eager fans. But they're gods of a previous era, so we haven't seen much from (WE AT THEE, them lately. Until now - with Binge BRiGAHPSf Books. Binge Books is the brainchild of Emmy-nominated TV writer Darin Characters like the Blue Baron Henry (Seinfelds Futurama), whose love of 1970$ and 1980$ comics is have appeared before in digital evident on every page of 77ie Heroes comics. Union #1, which arrived Au5 18. Binge Books lives up to its name, as "Heroes Union" clocks in at a whop ping 68 pages for US$4.99 (RM20)- when most American comics are 32 pa^es for US$3.99 (RM16.70) or US$4.99. Heroes Union is an Avengersstyle story for all ages, told in the Mighty Marvel Style of the Bronze Age of comics (1970s and 1980s), by veter­ ans of the Bronze A^e of comics. It features a team of new superheroes like Blue Baron, Raider and Startup, some of whom have appeared already in digital comics, and some of whom will be hitting print soon. They take on a cosmic menace in a manner that can't help but bring to inind Marvel's Kree/Skrull War, DC's The Heroes Union is an Avengers-style story for all ages, told in the Mighty Marvel Style Crisis on Infinite Earths and other of the Bronze Age of comics (1970s and 1980s). — Photos: Binge Books beloved “events" of yesteryear. As a 1980s Marvel cover might Marvel had just kept publishing travelled in publishing, with where the new books help sell the printing quality of the Modem A^e. say of Binge Books, "WHO are they? Spider-Girl. %page "graphic novellasM that old books and the old books help The best superhero comics sus­ WHAT are they? WHERE did they other publishers would likely sell the new books. tain the spectacle that attracts kids get their fantastic powers?" How do you come by your big break into three monthly install­ The bigger the Library of releases, with the continuity that keeps I decided to ask Henry himself names? Did you seek these three ments -and then charge three the quicker a new release can pay adults engaged. the senses-shattering answers to men out on piupose, or some­ times as much. How did you come for itself. Roger, Ron and Sal were making those scintillating questions. thing Less planned? by that decision, and how is it comics back when titles sold an Reassembling the classic Marvel financially viable? Two characters in 77te Heroes average of 250,000 copies on the How did you transition from TV bullpen was definitely the plan! We're in the bin<e age and there Union, Blue Baron and Startup, newsstand every month. I believe writing to publishing comics? Sal Buscema was my gateway art­ are so many cheaper and more have had their own digital comics hiring the people who did it before Were you already a long-time ist to the Marvel Universe of the accessible ways to be entertained, before. Can new readers pick up gives you a slightly better chance of comics fan? 1970s. He no longer does interior and comics can't compete at win­ Heroes Union without having doing it again； It was less a transition than an pencils, but Tm thrilled to have him ning over new customers - especial­ read the previous stories? addition. As I've been launching The drawing covers and doing inks over ly kids - without giving potential The Heroes Union is designed to Tell me why I should be reading Heroes Union, I've also been writing Ron Frenz's pencils. I've loved Ron's customers easy access to complete introduce new readers to Binge Binge Boo6 instead of (or in for an upcoming Netflix animated art since his time drawing Marvel stories at a low enough price to jus­ Books. It connects all the other addition to) the other guys! series -an nondisclosure agree­ Team-Up, and it's only gotten better tify coming back for more. series and hopefully inspires read­ Binge Book characters weren't ment prevents me from telling over the years. He's an amazing sto­ Serialisation made sense when ers to check out those otiier adven­ devised in the 1940s or 1960s; they more until October. I've been writ- ryteller, and Ron and I work togeth­ comics were sold where new or tures. are all-new modem creations that inj; TV on staff and development er to design every costumed charac­ casual readers of any age could pick reflect our modern world. full time since 1995 and I have no ter. up milk every week or two, then What is your publishing philoso­ Binge Books feature a great line­ plans to stop now. Roger Stem's run on Avengers stop by the spinner rack and see phy when it comes to superhero up of classic creators and rising I was a passionate Marvel zombie was a perfect combination of cos­ what's new. comics? Are your books all ages, stars with selfcontained and until about 20 years ago, when their tumed superhero and cosmic Comic shops, wtiile great for or aimed at older readers? affordable stories, which makes target audience stopped including adventure, so when the premise of Eans, usually require a special trip, I like to say every Binge Book is them perfect for our "binge age" kids. I became a dad a few years The Heroes Union #1 began to take so irs a bigger challenge for anyone like a greatest hits of the comic book along with family friendly content later, and since Marvel no longer shape, I knew Roger would be the new to stumble upon comics and industry. They have the satisfying that emphasizes fun. As great as all published the kind of new superhe­ ideal writer to shape it and perfect keep up with them on a consistent format of the Golden Age, the inno­ that sounds, you can't really appre­ ro comics I wanted to read to my it. which is exactly what he's done. basis. vation and escapism of the Silver ciate how *eat Binge Books are kids, I decided to publish my own. I As for my financial model, it's Age, the sophisticated storytelling unless you try them! - Tribune could have saved a lot of money if You've opted for the path less similar to the TV syndication model, style of the Bronze Age, with the News Service.